The Protected Landscape Approach - Centre for Mediterranean ...

17. Conclusions – the protected landscape approach
Putney, 2003). This typology of intangible values complements a selected list of those
identified by authors in this book (see Table 1).
Table 1. Selected tangible and intangible values recognised in the protected
landscape approach
Environmental
safeguard and enhance biological diversity.
values
safeguard vital environmental services, for example, clear water, clean
air, soil fertility.
attract and encourage beneficial developments.
reduce or eliminate harmful developments.
maintain the diversity and value of the visual landscape.
provide sustainable development models for wider rural areas.
Cultural values raise awareness of the cultural heritage and identity.
safeguard and enhance traditional cultural resources and practices.
protect unique landscapes and artifacts.
inspire artists and writers.
develop a heightened sense of place and promote appropriate
recreational developments.
maintain the interaction between nature and culture.
Spiritual values safeguard places/areas of spiritual and sacred significance to local and
national communities.
secure and improve access and facilities for appropriate enjoyment of
such places.
Educational values provide information and interpretation facilities to raise awareness and
understanding.
promote a greater understanding of the human/nature relationship.
provide study and research facilities to increase understanding of the
area.
build wider support for sustainable use of the environment.
Scientific values encourage scientific research.
develop indicators to measure and evaluate change caused by human
activity.
Recreational values provide a wide range of opportunities for public enjoyment through
recreation and tourism appropriate in type and scale to the essential
qualities of the area.
The list in this table is not intended to be comprehensive, but rather to draw examples from
the case studies in this text to illustrate the wide range of values considered in the protected
landscape approach. The tangible environmental and cultural values have been discussed
previously, so included here are a few descriptions of intangible values. In the Andes, there is
an important spiritual connection to landscapes where mountains are revered as apus, or
mountain deities, and sacred sites are important landscapes based on spiritual constructs.
Sarmiento, Rodriguez and Argumedo explain the spirtitual associations that indigenous
peoples of the region have with the landscape, and the associated ritual naming of plants, soil
types, water bodies, even types of weather.
Villalón describes the importance of spiritual values in the Ifugao culture, such as the role of
rice in rituals. Conservation of a landscape such as the rice terraces requires continuing the
culture-based traditional practices that have created and maintained them. For this reason, he
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